Picking

[Fretcruiser]

I just went through a time where I was extremely busy for about a year or so, and hadn't really picked up the guitar in that time. I was finishing my degree and working almost 60 hours a week. Now, I've been practicing for a couple hours every day, but my hands just seemed to be so out of sync with each other when I would pick, but it was alright when I was sweeping and playing legato. I was practicing some exercises clean, and with a metronome, but it still wasn't feeling quite right. The pick just didn't feel right in my hand for some reason. Then, all of a sudden it finally dawned on me that I was exposing too much of the pick. My grip was about half way down the pick, where as normally I hold about 3/4 of it in my thumb and I had the least amount of the pick showing that I could without hitting my thumb on the string. It did the trick.

I used to be a guitar teacher for a couple years, teaching beginners, and I freaking forgot how to hold a pick!!! Anyway, I thought I would share that advice. Try to hold as much of the pick in your thumb as possible. It will really give your more control.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Good point. I have worked on that quite a bit, and one of our own here made darn sure of it. I double check and adjust my grip regularly still, and try to hear the differences. I am also trying to watch my angle of attack, though not always successfully.

 

[Fretcruiser]

Yeah, you're right, the angle makes a huge difference too. I have a Paul Gilbert dvd, and he said that he tries to attack with as much of an angle as possible to get that sharp sound.

 

[marnold]

I hear you. That was one "advantage" of hurting my hand. I had to relearn to hold a pick all over again. This time I learned properly. Now I'm much more consistent and I don't drop my pick any more.